Moments Between Two Survivors
by MinaRobins
Summary: Two women against a undead world. How hard can it be? Femslash. Andrea/Michonne This story ends at chapter three and then falls in line with cannon
1. One

**Title**: Moments Between Two Survivors

**Author**: Mina Robins

**Fandom**: Walking Dead

**Pairing**: Michonne/Andrea. Because, hey, give me two women together on a screen and I'll give you femslash.

**Rating**: G, cause there's going to be a piñata party. No, really, it's a zombie apocalypse, so M.

**Summary:** Two women facing the world of the undead. How hard can it be?

…..

The closing feral moans of the undead barely kept the blondes legs from giving out from under her.

Barely.

Andrea had been running, staggering, tripping for hours. The bullets in her gun ran out during the last couple agonizing miles, the ammo had managed take down the numbers of the zombie pack to only three. The sun had minutes left to set and thus submerging this nightmare into complete darkness. She knew she had to face the remaining three monsters now, her arms ached and her head spun, but there was no fucking way she was going out without a fight or going out at all.

Swinging her body around she let her shoulder pack thud onto the ground. Taking the muzzle of her gun she swung it into the approaching bald zombie's temple. Following through with her momentum she finished the dead thing by burying her weapon into its skull. Stumbling back, her legs shaking and her breath coming in grasps she flicked out her switchblade. Slamming the short edge into the nostril of the second zombie gave the thing a quick end but also lodged her blade into its nasal cavity. The dead weight dragged her forward and made her drop to the ground.

There was no way she was going to die. Her hands groped through the leaves for a rock while crawling backwards from the last thing keeping her from living. She refused to end this way. She pushed back, kicking desperately at the ground to create some distance. The erratic thumping of her heart covered by her infuriated and breathy screams. How can she die like this, with one stupid, decaying piece of fuck?

A shing of light flashed above her and decapitated the monster's head neatly onto the leafy cushioned ground.

Andrea glared up at her saviour.

…

Silence was now the routine. After asking for the blonde's name there had been hardly more than a handful of sentences between them.

You could hardly say the pair had a seamless partnership though. Michonne was used to being alone, no one was ever present to argue with her decisions; two brain-dead, jawless Z-heads weren't exactly capable of heatedly discussing with her the downside of just walking into a town.

"I'm tying them to this tree; stay here so I can survey the town." Michonne ordered.

That was the thing that irked Andrea most; Michonne had to, _had to_, bark out commands. Andrea was over being the submissive underling to another leader. "I'll come with you; it's dangerous to just go down the damn road."

"I know where to travel." Michonne hissed back. "Stay."

"No."

They glared at each other.

The only sounds emitted by the two chained things staring hungrily at the quelling morsels of meat.

For a moment Andrea was getting prepared to dodge the other woman's hands, ready if Michonne tried to incarcerate her in anyway. That had happened once only too quickly and Andrea had never quite gotten over how Michonne had bonded her hands so efficiently behind her back. In the end the blonde was freed since there was no point of leaving her defenceless. The only thing that excursion had managed to do was make them loose daylight.

Michonne flared her nostrils and wordlessly began the trek into the small deserted town, Andrea followed suit and made sure to walk on par with her companion. She knew she was capable enough to hold her own; she was going to prove herself to the other woman. Andrea rolled her eyes, if only Michonne had seen her before the last zombie had almost pined her down. Then she wouldn't have appeared like such a damsel in distress.

The last civilized place they had walked to was completely deserted. Without even an undead groan to liven it up. But this was a town, with food and water tucked away and filled with loitering zombies.

In the last farm Andrea had found a crowbar with one end of it sharpened to a point. Time to see if it was worth lugging the damn thing with her all this time.

…

"Why are you dragging those things with us?" Andrea finally asked.

Michonne glanced over at her companion, slightly startled. They had only been together for couple of weeks and it seemed that Michonne was still unused to living things, living people, which were capable of speech.

"Mules for gear." Was the simple response. Even though neither undead was carrying anything other than the tattered clothes on their backs and rattling chains around their necks.

Andrea raised an eyebrow.

Not to be bested, Michonne took the side pack from Andrea's shoulder and swung it over the closest mule's neck. The zombie tittered comically over and bumped into the other chained creature causing them both to topple to the floor.

Andrea spluttered out a laugh at Michonne's consternation which earned her a glared. The browned skin female pulled the undead things up from the ground. For a second it looked like the zombie shouldering the side pack was going to do a repeat performance but not before a light shove from Michonne helped it to regain its balance.

"That's really fucked up."

Michonne shrugged.

Andrea hadn't wanted to travel with the crazy ass maniac, but she knew she could only stay awake and on guard for so long. There was also the fact that Michonne had saved her life.

She hated owing her one. From the first time they had met Andrea felt obliged to the other woman. They had started traveling together immediately after Andrea picked herself up. And they were traveling **together**; Andrea refused to trail behind someone stronger like a puppy with its tail between its legs. Like how she was at the beginning of this hell.

She made sure to contribute when scavenging and to be a watch even during the nights up in the thin branches of the trees. The blonde knew she couldn't head back towards the farm but she had to get back to the Group. Even if they had abandoned her, they were all she had left in this forsaken world.

Michonne was morose on best days and quiet on every other. Which suited Andrea just fine since she found no reason to throw up her entire life story onto the stranger. The attitude she could take, considering how Michonne was with the sword. The two dead monstrosities, which her companion insisted to dragging along with them, that was an entirely different and twisted issue.

…

It was after the second month that Andrea noticed Michonne talking to the two zombies. She would murmur to them, not just as if a person was praying to an unanswering god but she was actually holding a conversation with them.

"The blonde is frustrating."

A pause.

"I don't know why you two would talk me into keeping her."

Michonne scoffs. "Yeah, cause I've always craved girl time."

Another pause.

"Fine, I'll try."

Andrea cracked open an eyelid wondering why the hell the other woman was more inclined to talk to brainless cannibals than to her. She huffs and rolled over so her back is facing the equally crazy trio.

The blonde sneered, how the hell she could free jealously towards two zombies was beyond ridiculous. Like they said, if you talked to god, it's call praying. If god talks to you, it's schizophrenia.

...

"Just get in, we smell worse than those things you have chained with you."

"I…"

"How often do we talk?"

"Thankfully never." Michonne replied a little too happily. Which wasn't true since they've been conversing with one another a lot more after Andrea started making an effort and Michonne encouraged it. Well encouraged it in her own way, instead of ignoring Andrea completely, she replied with words.

"Look, if I say we smell." Andrea motioned between the two of them. "We smell."

Michonne shrugged but sat cross legged at the edge of the metal tub, debating whether to get into the manmade swimming pool. The tarp that had covered the diminutive water supply had managed to keep out any wondering zombies. It was a salted pool so they wouldn't be able to consume it and it wasn't like they had soap or really any other places to bathe. The house next to the kid sized pool had been burnt to a cinder.

The two zombies had been chained to the rails a distance away, the open landscape ensuring a clear line of sight for any trouble.

Michonne slowly took off her robe and other garments. The weapon clenched in her hands, her grip lingered on her sword even after she had unfastened its scabbard from her back.

Andrea nodded and turned to give her companion some privacy, it's not like she hadn't seen the other women nude. Considering that they both strived to keep each other in their visual field at all times. It was just a courteous action to take part in, especially when they had the leisure to do so. After not hearing any movement Andrea revolved around and was splashed by a small wave of water as Michonne all but plunged into the pool.

"Michonne, what, are you four!"

"You look like a wet cat." The brunet snickered but before managing to move further into the pool Andrea had taken out a face cloth and started mercilessly scrubbing at the other woman's back.

"Since you have to be such a child, guess I'll have to make sure you actually get clean."

"Stop, woman, are you crazy?" Michonne growled out as she made a lame ass attempt at maneuvering further into the pool.

Somewhere along the months they had gotten use to manhandling each other to accomplish certain things, it was quicker to pull your companion away from the closing jaws of an undead than to give out a yell and alert more of them to your position.

Michonne spun and pranced out of the waist high pool and tackled the blonde down. "You're supposed to be keeping watch!"

"There isn't anything for fucking acres; you just had to get me wet me didn't you!" Andrea tried to dislodge the other woman to absolutely no avail. She tugged and kicked but every attempt she tried was easily counter.

"I don't have to try to get you wet." Michonne jibed back, missing the sudden change of emotions from the blonde.

Andrea was under that last fucking zombie from all those months ago, back after the zombie hordes overflowing Hersey's barn. The group trapped like roaches. Back to burying her sister because she couldn't protect her. She was seeing the others covering up the dead because they couldn't fight. It was freaking her out, being contained, restricted, being so weak. Andrea started wheezing for breath, her attempt to break free frantic and animalistic.

"Fuck." Michonne released her grip on both of Andrea's hands, the moment gone, and sat up. This was the first time she had ever seen the blonde loose it. She coped by talking to her… mules. The blonde coped by blocking everything out. Andrea had always had her back since the day they met. She was stubborn and infuriating but also real. Unlike her two dead friends that got tugged along with her.

The brunette got up and out of Andrea's way. The other woman scrambled up and latched onto the crowbar that lay only inches away. The cold metal centered her and acted as a primer for her control, aiding like a lid, resealing the abrupt crushing anxiety.

Andrea flushed red as she realized that Michonne had been completely naked against her. She had never been attracted to a woman that's for sure. But there was something about being the only two living members in a group of four that really bonded a pair. Shaking her head at the silly thoughts, Andrea coughed. "I never want to get held down again."

"Okay." Michonne reassured. A promise in her voice.

Andrea moved to face her companion. "No, no, I mean, teach me how to fight."

They started sparring every day after that.

...

Winter was not only nipping at their asses, it was gnawing through their bodies. It was nowhere near cold enough to freeze the muscles of the undead completely. But it was just enough to make them sluggish and aggravated.

They had found a cabin on the very outskirts of a small community of farms. Well Andrea had found it and brought the both of them up to it in time. Michonne for one reason or another absolutely refused to use a vehicle which made trudging through the shin high snow a dreary and draining affair. Michonne had gotten ill at some point, feverish but still insanely strong. Andrea had noticed the shivering and blue lips of her companion and insisted on breaking into and starting an old truck and all but pushed the resistant brunette into the cracked seats of the car.

"Can't leave them behind." Michonne intoned. "Not again."

Andrea looked at the hand beseechingly gripping her bicep and sighed. "Fucking great."

The zombies were herded onto the back of the truck and secured with ropes and a bucket of profanities. The fucking things never seemed as obedient or as compliant towards Andrea.

Clearing the small building of any undead infestation took a while since Andrea was going through it alone, forbidding the other woman from staggering up. "I like my arms; I don't trust you swinging anything around at this state."

The place was still teaming with supplies. It was a worthwhile venture so the two women decided to celebrate. Which boiled down to opening two cans of beans instead of sharing just one. They had no choice but to bunker down. The windstorm outside was getting deathly.

Michonne was burning up, but the shack of a home kept most of the cold out, they normally wouldn't dare light up a fire so near other settlements but Michonne hadn't stopped shaking and her can of beans were cracked open and yet hardly touched. Andrea had lugged in all the logs by the side of the house and tried her best to seal up the windows with the tarp she had found over the kindling outside.

The brunette normally would insist on a no fire policy, it brought not only zombies but others. Though at her current state she only stared listlessly into the flickering flames. After luckily, insanely luckily, finding some medicine in the washroom cabinet and making sure Michonne took it with a large sum of boiled water, Andrea started to remove the soaking jackets, pants and undergarment from her companion's heated body.

Andrea took out a basin and cloth and started methodically washing her partner's body. Michonne was sticky from sweat caused by her illness. Not sure what else she could do, the blonde stripped down and slid into Michonne's sleeping bag, pulling the woman's heated body against her cooler one.

Michonne hissed but gave no more argument.

...

When Andrea awoke in the middle of the night she realized Michonne had turned and curled closer into her and was crying silently. "Mike and Terry?"

"Shhhhh, they're outside but here."

"I'm sorry I left."

Andrea tighten her hold on her companion and started stroking Michonne's back like she had when her sister would have nightmares. "It's okay."

"Andrea."

"Yes?"

"I promise I won't leave."

"I know you'll try." Andrea knows better than to believe in promises in such a time, in a place such as this. "Sleep."

"No." Michonne replied flippantly. "No."

Andrea rolled her eyes and continued stroking the other woman's cooling body, at least the drugs were working. "Fine, stay awake then."

"No…"

...

Andrea twisted in Michonne's grip and rolled her body then turned them over so that she was straddling the other woman's hips. Slinking forward Andrea pressed her forearm onto Michonne's neck and increased the pressure until a jarring stab hit her stomach, right over her diaphragm.

The blonde breathlessly huffed a swear, silent even when in pain. "I thought I had your hand."

"You didn't." The brunet smirked and switched their positions, leaning close she whispered. "Do I get I prize."

"Fuck you." Andrea replied playfully as she reared back and swung her head forward.

"Maybe later." Michonne turned her head away at the last second and blinked. "You almost got me that time."

"Why is it always an almost?!" Andrea pushed up at the woman on top of her, how the hell she could protect Michonne if she couldn't even manage to beat the woman once in a scuffle. She lost Amy, she couldn't lose another member in her…

"Hey," Michone called softly, noticing the familiar self-loathing Andrea often got in her eyes when she failed. "You're better already."

"I don't want to be better." Andrea replied as her hands were free, she leaned up on her elbows.

"Again then?"

...

A hand connected soundly across Andrea's face making her vision blur horribly but not enough to send her into the safety of unconsciousness. After so many close calls she had trained herself to withstand just a little too much. Her hands were bound together or she would have made an attempt to rip out this jackass' throat, instead, she felt her body sway and almost gave into toppling onto the splintered wooden boards.

"You call that a fucking blow job?"

The blonde spat out the blood that collected within her mouth and answered by staring antagonistically back at the man that had struck her. Her glare earned her another swift clot against the head.

"Fucking do it right this time or we'll kill that nigga girl you had tagging along with you."

Andrea's eyes shot wide open even with the pain that came from the swelling that had started.

"That's right little woman, we kept her alive, do you want to make sure she gets fed?"

Andrea scowled but nodded.

"Then bob your perfect little skank mouth on my dick."

...

And as always, please inform me of any grammatical or spelling errors.


	2. Two

**Title**: Moments Between Two Survivors

**Author**: Mina Robins

**Fandom**: Walking Dead

**Pairing**: Michonne/Andrea. Because, hey, give me two women together on a screen and I'll give you femslash.

**Rating**: G, cause there's going to be a piñata party. No, really, it's a zombie apocalypse, so M. Some noncon, not descriptive.

**Summary:** Two women facing the world of the undead. How hard can it be?

…

Andrea felt wholly disgusted.

After being force to service the disgusting fuck earlier she had been taken to another part of the stone church by a pair of guys.

Her wrists and ankles were raw from the rough ropes. Other than the twine meant for animals securing her hands and feet together she was buck naked. The Judgement, as they dubbed themselves had dunked her in the icy waters of the christening basin, after being submerged into the water they held her down until she was all but drowning then threw her out onto the floor. She was informed that she had been "cleansed of her sins" and then simply dragged her into this barn.

The stall she was in was drafty and meant to hold livestock, but it wasn't like she was going to be going anywhere anytime soon. Where was Michonne? Andrea couldn't even been sure that her efforts would even keep her friend alive. The memories of what she had just done made her empty stomach churn and caused her to divest its meagre contents onto the cement ground.

She was freezing and soaked. Inching across the splintering wood like worm, she slipped herself into a pile of hay meant for life-stock, the straw scratched at her abused body and tucked into her wounds. Her head throbbed painfully but still she refused to sleep. Not yet, she had to get out of here, but how…

Andrea took a bit of the straw into her mouth, chewed and spat to make the remainder of the foul taste leave her palate. Her lips were bleeding from the beating and the dried straw made it hurt all the more. She tongued at the tear at the corner of her lips and squirmed in her bindings. The pain centered her and as the dwindling supply of adrenaline her body had left dripped through veins she attempted to sit up.

"Hey, you're awake!" A hand came to rest over the blondes shoulder making her buck and twist. "Calm down, please, if you make a ruckus _they_'ll come back!"

Turning her head, Andrea looked up at a freckled red head no older than 21 dressed in a ragged looking overalls, a darkening bruise graced the girl's right eye. She had a striking resemblance to Andrea's sister.

"Amy..." Andrea rasped as a bout of coughing interrupted her.

"Who… Sorry, here." The red head draped a blanket over Andrea's body and went back out the stall to retrieve a pail and mop. Andrea shivered and watched as the girl quickly pushed the puke into the drain at the center of the stall and continued to mop up any residue of the mess.

After realizing that this couldn't possibly be Amy, Andrea tried to push pass the fog in her mind and asked. "Did, did you see the woman that was with me?"

The redhead paused but then shook her head. "She's coloured, they aren't gonna keep her."

"What… What do you mean?" Andrea started another round of coughing.

The girl grimaced and went out and brought back a dog bowl filled with water. "It's clean, alright?"

The blonde didn't really give a shit about where the water was coming from at this point; she shrugged and allowed the girl to lean her against the wall before drinking from the dish. "Where is she?"

"You're not supposed to be awake."

"Well I am." Andrea leaned her head against the back of the wall and sighed. "Want to tell me what's going on?"

"You're safe now."

The blonde whipped her head up to face the girl, ready to furiously argue otherwise. It wasn't until she noticed the tears readying to spill from the younger woman's eyes did her temper fade.

"You're safe; you just have to put your trust in God and in our men." The girl's voice sounded unbearably conflicted as she shifted the blanket around the blondes shoulder to better encompass Andrea's shivering body. "Just be obedient and they won't hurt you."

Andrea glanced at the girl's eye.

"Oh, I was being bad." The girl said with conviction after seeing Andrea's shift in attention.

Andrea wasn't sure how to could explain that no matter what the girl did wrong it still shouldn't merit her to bodily harm. "I have to get out of here, I have to find my companion and I have to-" Andrea paused when the girl brought her hands up to cover her ears, her eyes were squinted shut as she shook her head back and forth.

"No." The girl answered as tears poured down her face. "There's nowhere to go, there isn't a go." The red head clenched her teeth and all but started rocking on the spot.

"Hey, shhhhhhh." Andrea said, trying to make her voice soothing. "Hey baby sis, it's okay, shhhhh."

The endearment made the girl stop and glare at the blonde, which made the older woman fidget. The girl dropped her hands and blinked at Andrea. "What… what did you call me?"

A round of coughing came out of Andrea, letting her skip answering the question.

"Emma, get the fuck away from there." A man came in and grasped onto the girl's neck and yanked her out of the stall. "What the fuck, you talk to it and you'll get punished, you know better."

"Stefan, please, that hurts!"

The man smirked. "It'll hurt more later, I caught you, I get the reward."

"Let her go." Andrea warned even though she had no way to back up the threat in her voice.

"Cattle don't talk." Was the reply from the male as he pushed Andrea into the straw.

…

The shit hole she was in was misogynistic to the nines. Andrea had a place in this society, since she was _lucky_; she had been chosen to be the third wife of The Judgement's Bishop. She had been kept as an animal because she acted as one. Women don't fight; they take care of the needs of the men folk. She had to suppress those sinful thoughts of hers, what was she thinking, keeping companionship with the tainted? But since she was chosen for marriage, Andrea had a place in this society now.

And she wanted no part of it.

Emma was quietly braiding her hair to tie up into a bun for the upcoming nuptials. The girl's tongue had been cut out, the wound seared closed by hot iron. It wasn't the first time the girl had been caught talking to the cattle before they had been cleansed. But Andrea didn't know that, she hadn't seen the girl other than during feeding time back when she was in the stall. When she later saw the girl again in the kitchen, she had tried to befriend her. She didn't realize she was the cause of the girl's muteness.

After Emma was done, she patted Andrea's shoulder softly. The blonde got up and turned to embrace her. "I'm making a run for it."

Emma shoved the other woman back, her eyes wide with fear. "Nuuoh."

"They took your tongue." Andrea hissed. "You still want to stay here?!"

Bitterness reflected on Emma's face. The red head didn't know what to say nor how to express herself. Andrea had taken to guarding over her during their work times. When other's would bully her due to her docile nature, Andrea would stand up for her. Nonetheless, she also hated the spirit that thrived in Andrea. The spirit that made her friend suffer more punishments from the men and more chores from the head wives. Strangely enough Emma couldn't blame the blonde for making her loose her tongue. She had pleaded with Bishop that Andrea shouldn't have been awake. Bishop was the one that took her voice.

Her resentment for the unfair punishment had changed her in the tiniest of ways. What changed her outlook most was see this blonde's attitude. She had witness them tolling this woman in like so many others. But while the other women had been broken into their roles in this town, or willingly took this place's rules than the death outside the chain-linked walls, Andrea refused it at every turn.

Andrea had been despondent to every single kind of torture the men had laid on her after finding out that they had thrown Michonne out to feed the Walkers. Then suddenly, a month ago, she had shaped up. It was horrifyingly sad to see her finally get broken. Then at night time Andrea had confided in Emma, informed her of her feelings towards the confinement had not changed, that she now had a plan.

Andrea trusted Emma.

Emma trusted Andrea as well. It's just that she also thought Andrea was crazy to put so much faith in the handful of encrypted notes she had been given by a neighbouring group's trader.

"It's going to happen tomorrow, ready what you can."

...

Emma noted the wedding banquet had unfolded easily enough, it was at festivities such as these that made it seem like the Walkers hadn't been here at all. Andrea had assured her that today was the day it was going to happen. The blonde had been a picture of perfect obedience all the way up to the alter. And even after that as the banquet.

And as the night was coming to a close, Andrea still had that secretive smile lingering on her lips every time Emma anxiously glanced over at her.

The night was over and Andrea was going to the Bishops chambers. The town's women that had prepared and cooked for the festivities had been rounded up into the women's building when the Bishop and his new wife had retired for the night.

Emma had been instructed by Andrea to get into their bedrooms and prepare to run. Emma had no clue how this was going all according to plan especially since the women's lodgings was the furthest from the banquet and the Bishop's chambers, making her unavailable to give her friend any aid.

That is, until all hell broke loose.

...

A/N: Two parter I said. It's be over I said. Third part coming soon :D

…


	3. Three

**Title**: Moments Between Two Survivors

**Author**: Mina Robins

**Fandom**: Walking Dead

**Pairing**: Michonne/Andrea. Because, hey, give me two women together on a screen and I'll give you femslash.

**Rating**: G, cause there's going to be a piñata party. No, really, it's a zombie apocalypse, so M. Some noncon, not descriptive.

**Summary:** Two women facing the world of the undead. How hard can it be?

….

The raiding party thrashed through the town's gate with a flood of rusty but still durable cars. The skeleton shift of guards were easily being plowed down at the fences and the ones that were still sober after the banquet hadn't had enough time to stand to attention when the shot gun pellets from the raiders had rained down on them.

It was a stupid idea to round up all the men folk for a single festivity. Only the Bishop's wedding nights gave majority of the guard duty men a night off for celebrations.

At the first wedding the raiders didn't have enough men. At the second wedding they didn't have enough weapons. At the third wedding, they had Michonne.

Andrea grinned at the carnage outside the bedroom window; something dark in her enjoyed the damage being done onto the men that had physically and emotionally abused her. The Bishop was on the king sized bed, his breathe soft and quiet. He may have been physically stronger than Andrea. Nonetheless, when drugged with crushed sleeping pills it wasn't that hard to tie him to the rails of the bedpost with the linen in the room. The blonde wanted to strangle the monster on the bed.

Andrea picked up the prized hunting bow sitting on the display rack over the bed and swung a full quiver of arrows onto her shoulders. There had been no reason for her to be taught how to shoot a bow but the Bishop had been so intrigued by her spunk he had took the time to instruct her how to hunt over the past couple of months. Each session had ended with the Bishop's men ripping the weapons and clothes from Andrea's body and holding her down as the Bishop "increased their bonding and showed her what was right and pure".

The rage that built inside of Andrea made her hands tremble, she turned and took the Bishop's machete from the loop on his belt, she wanted to do a lot of things to this creature on the bed and all of them were cruel and terrifying for her to even imagine doing but what she wanted most was to go outside and find Michonne.

...

A large sum of the men in the town had scattered when they realized they were outnumbered. Some of the monsters in this town were capable to cruelty towards those weaker than them, but they were definitely not prepared to defend this place with the cost of their lives against those that were stronger. Those that ran were as much monsters as they were cowards.

The raiders were committed. These were the families of the women The Judgement had captured and brainwashed. These men and women that storm the hell hole was here to save their love ones.

The Judgement's soldiers that stayed, fought back as best they could, managing to keep a good defence but once the bullets ran out on both side it was a blood bath. It meant little who's base it was when the numbers were finally equal for once. And at the front of the raiders rushing through the throng of people was Michonne. Her katana flew out with ease and precision, bringing the strongest of The Judgement down. She had one goal in entering this encampment and nothing was keeping her away from her companion.

...

At the women's holding. 

The gun shots woke up everyone inside the building. Though tired and used to the early bed times and crack of dawn rousing for the daily chores, the women all began one by one to get up from the mats they use as bedding and crowded to catch a glimpse through the barred windows.

One of the head wives got out from her bed and headed down the stairs to the front door followed by everyone else.

Emma followed as well and watched as the women around her nervously chattered about their fates. Everyone had been brainwashed to just accept their destiny to serve the men in The Judgement. They accepted the doctrine and frittered senselessly, some were crying and others were screaming.

Emma frowned at their deplorably reactions and looked out the window to see a small number of The Judgement's men running towards the building while being chased by another group. Though this time The Judgement's men were the one's bleeding and afraid and they were the ones that were hurting.

As The Judgement's men dashed closer to the destination of what they hoped to be the always unlocked door of the women's barrack and their salvation, Emma ran just as quickly and bolted the doors. The entrance was forbidden to be locked at any time other than if the zombies were to overrun their town.

It was a crime punishable by death in The Judgement's town.

As the bolts slid close the other women all turned and glared with disbelief at Emma.

To harbour those who locked the door was also a death sentence.

...

When it was obvious that this was the end, some of the men ran for the women's building only to bang on barred doors. All seven of the remaining Judgement's men frantically spun around like feral wolves trapped in a corner.

Michonne strode forward; her sword glistened with human blood. "Those that ran will be hunted down by the Walkers; those that fought will die here now."

One of men rammed his fist onto the doors of the building. "Open this fucking door, ladies, or I swear to our God it'll be all your heads, throw out the one that locked this here building."

Michonne shook her head, none of the women could possibly be stupid enough to offer themselves to more torture, and the one day that Michonne had to suffer through would be enough for the rest of her life.

Just as suddenly as the door had been bolted, the entrance swung open and a red head was shoved through the doors.

Andrea had been running towards the group that had taken off after the last handful of The Judgement's men when she saw Michonne walk and address the remaining scoundrels. The blonde felt her heart pump furiously, a smile immediately on her lips, that is until she saw one woman get pushed out from the building.

"Amy!"

...

Stefan instantaneously grabbed Emma and held his survival blade tightly into the girl's pulse point. "I want a car for us here Judgement crew, guns, food, and a car."

Emma struggled fruitlessly against the tall male's hold; her neck was now bleeding, making a convincing statement to the raiders.

"Let the girl go and you get to live." Michonne reasoned.

The raiders that came with her shifted uneasily after seeing the young girl get pushed out. Could it have been one of their family members that pushed such a defenceless girl out into danger's arm? The thought slinked unpleasantly through Kristopher Clayton's mind but he stood still by Michonne's side, letting his people know that he still supported her and she was the one leading their team at the moment.

Stefan sneered in response and motioned with his head towards the still open door of the women's building. "Everyone, go pick up a bullet shield."

...

Emma looked over at Andrea running towards her. She wanted to be useful and brave like the woman that had protected her for the last couple of months. Taking a breath Emma pulled at the arm in front of her with one hand and used her other to pushed the blade away from her neck as far as she could and then bit down hard, ignoring the pinch of the blade against her skin.

Stefan swore as the knife dropped from his bleeding hand and threw out his fist hard against the back of Emma's head, before he could move to hit the prone red head one more time an arrow whizzed into his side. "Mother fucker!"

Michonne, seeing the chance ran towards the nearest Judgement member and decapitated his head. Kris followed suit and soon the raiders were upon the last of the monsters.

Andrea smashed her knee into Stefan's crotch when he tried to get away from the attackers.

"Oh, Andrea, fuck, let's talk about this." Stefan pleaded from his knees but managed to still sound like he was about to punish her.

"Monsters don't talk." Andrea replied coldly with a similar phrase he had said to her the first time they had met and turned to Michonne. "Don't kill him too quick."

The brunette moved in front of the male and with a nod to Andrea, cleanly dismembered both his arms, the scream he made tempered off as he fell onto the ground unconscious. If the bleeding didn't get him, his scent would attract the awaiting Walkers.

...

The women were escorted out of the building with the small amount of possessions they had. Kris's raiders scouted the town and took everything that could come into use. Other than that the team started moving everyone out of the wreckage of The Judgement's town. The noise of the fight could've been heard for miles, it was only a guess on how long until the town was going to be flooded with Walkers.

"Emma is fine; thankfully, the cut on her neck was shallow." Kris noted as he finished wrapping the bandage around the red head's throat. "You're awfully quiet."

"She had her tongue cut; about ten others also have them out." Andrea answered for Emma.

Kris scowled and his voice was tight as he said. "We should have acted earlier, I'm sorry Emma."

Emma shook her head surprised by the care that Kris was showing her. She patted his arm and gave him a genuine smile.

Kristopher nodded and grinned at the exuberant red head, this must have been Bell's youngest daughter, and it was too bad he wasn't alive to greet her. "Let's start heading back, if you'll like I could drive you."

Emma glanced up beseechingly over at Andrea, sighing the blonde placed her hands on her hips "Don't try anything funny, you may have saved my ass." The warning remained unsaid.

Kris laughed. "She wasn't kidding when she said you can be cranky." The muscular leader bent his elbow for Emma and the two started walking towards the cars that belonged to the Judgement. "Honestly, who the hell keeps all their keys in one guy's house, stupid much?"

Andrea shrugged and turned to the brunette that hadn't left her side. "Michonne."

"Andrea." The other woman answered back. Andrea could see that her companion had lost weight and wonder if she had too. It didn't matter since when the brunet's arm wrapped around her hips and pulled her close they fitted perfectly together.

The blonde blinked at the other woman, unsure of how to deal with the entirety of her emotions, they swung from the grief this place had inflicted in her and then to the absolute joy in seeing the one woman that was practically everything to her in this hell that was her life.

"I missed you." Andrea rasped as tears threatened to fall. She blinked, afraid that if she did close her eyes that the woman before her would be gone, gone and dead like she had been led to believe for so long before a message had been slipped into her hands by a trader.

Michonne remained quiet but her eyes were soft as she moved to kiss Andrea on her forehead, which was an act so gentle and so unlike how she normally carried herself it made Andrea's heart flutter and her arms wound tighter around her companion.

"I missed you." Andrea repeated, her voice was hoarse and 'missed' felt like it should have been 'love'.

It wasn't even about whether the two had ever thought of being in a relationship with a woman or finding the same sex attractive. It was about two people who had their lives tangled and twined together and then having to place their complete trust in each other. And as time went on there was reliance, familiarity and devotion in the pair for one another that couldn't be rivaled with anything in the lives before the outbreak. They were everything to each other in this fucked up place and as Michonne tangled her fingers into the bangs that have fallen down from Andrea's bun and pulled the blonde's face closer, Andrea naturally move to meet her half way.

Andrea's lips had beeswax glossed onto them from the wedding while Michonne's were cracked and dry.

But after three months of being separated, they both finally could breathe.

…..


	4. Four

**Title**: Moments Between Two Survivors (4/?)

**Author**: Mina Robins

**Fandom**: Walking Dead

**Pairing**: Michonne/Andrea. Because, hey, give me two women together on a screen and I'll give you femslash.

**Rating**: G, cause there's going to be a piñata party. No, really, it's a zombie apocalypse, so M.

**Summary:** Two women facing the world of the undead. How hard can it be?

…..

A putrid hand clawed through the window of their truck and nearly managed to yank Andrea out of the car. The blonde of was driving them out of the huge church complex. So Michonne did her best to keep the zombies from dragging them out of their vehicle.

Michonne tended to steer them away from places with too many people after that incident at The Judgement camp. But Andrea had hoped that the radio transmission they had received a couple weeks ago was from her old group. It spoke of a haven but the church was more like a nest for a bunch of lunatics that had overran the church earlier on. People got lured in and were captured and treated as cattle, an amusement for the men. The people who didn't agree with the mentality got slaughtered for meat. They preached about the need to procreate so they could repopulate the earth, it didn't matter if the females they caught were willing. Those who refused were thrown to the zombies that milled outside the thick stone slab walls and oak doors.

Andrea had to back the car out and as they rolled over a small group of the undead she wished like crazy that the truck had windows. She should have guess that this place was completely fucked up. Considering that this must have been the church that The Judgement's top people use to mention visiting before the place got completely surrounded by a herd of Walkers.

It wasn't even like Andrea needed to find her group anymore.

Kristopher's farming committee was secure and a healthy place if a little suspicious of new comers. There was a tight training shift for everyone that worked on the land and countless guards. Everyone was drilled in basic defense training and the children too young to hold a gun were all taught how to be silent and how to efficiently climb up to the safest vantage point. Combat preparation was part of everyday itinerary at the school they had set up. Emma helped watch the children but wasn't able to teach lessons. It broke Andrea's heart to see the results of The Judgement's cruel deeds but Emma always seemed less than irked and was the children's favourite guardian.

There was also the fact that everyone actually valued her and Michonne in the community and Emma was here as well.

Call it the trauma of living through hell. Andrea was still attached to her initial group and something in her still made her want to find them. There was also the fact that Rick's group contained Hershel. His medical expertise could go a long way for her people.

Huh, her people. When had she started calling them that?

Their truck skidded over some blood slickened pavement and almost fell off its tires as Andrea barely avoided smashing into a set of Walkers.

As their vehicle cleared onto the road, Andrea sped up and watched as the malingering Walker's became dots in the distance.

Both women turned to one another and spluttered out laughing.

"That was too close."

Andrea sighed as she adjusted her seat belt. "I know." The blonde coughed lightly and attempted to keep it quiet so not to worry her partner.

Michonne frowned and reached into the glove compartment to pull out a plastic bottle of water. "Drink this."

"I'm fine." Andrea replied but stopped when another bout of coughing wreck through her chest.

The brunet unbuckled her seat belt and reached across to move her hand soothingly over Andrea's chest. "We need to go rest."

There was no need for Michonne to rest; they had just gone on two easy scout and retrieval trips. The church was really a personal goal on the checklist so Kris had to offer them some actually work before allowing them to take the truck. Normally an S&R group would comprise of at least 4 people. Michonne abhorred team work, especially in large groups and unless she was as desperate as she was that time Andrea got incarcerated by The Judgement she rather refrain from it all together. Though seeing Andrea's current health she did agree to a plus two to their trip but Andrea had resisted the notion.

Anyways, there wasn't a team as in sync with one another as they were in their whole community; they could handle themselves just fine. All in all, it had been a short day, nothing that should even faze Andrea's toned body.

Yet, here she was, trying horribly not to cough out a lung as Michonne wrapped her arms around the blonde's body and duck her head into Andrea's neck. Her ear listening to see if Andrea's heartbeat became too erratic.

"Don't get so close, you'll catch it too."

"Mmmmhmmm." Michonne held up the water bottle again and waited.

Andrea took a sip when her coughing subsided and started driving again. "Put on your seatbelt."

…..

Emma ran up to the pair as they pulled into the second barred entrance into Kris's farm land.

"Emma, how was your day." Michonne greeted as she got out of the car. She still held everyone else in the community at arm's length. Michonne was always polite if just a tad cold. If the brunet had a choice she would abstain from the bi-weekly dinner soiree's Kris and Emma would hold for the community. But somewhere along the way while trying to bring down The Judgement she had built a rapport with Kris. And because Andrea and Emma were so taken with one another, she had also grown to care for the young red head.

The freckled girl smiled and wrapped Andrea and Michonne in a hug. After not smiling for so long the red head was pretty hard to make sad once she was living here. Well, living here with Kris. The pair had gotten together much to Andrea's chagrin. It wasn't that Kris was a bad person, he was just closing on mid-thirties and Emma had actually just turned twenty last week.

Michonne had to quickly pull Andrea to their bedroom to calm her down when the blonde had figured out Kris and Emma had started dating.

Kris was leaning up against his own car and brought his hand up to his cowboy hat to salute the pair.

Andrea waved. "Stop posing and get over here."

"Sure thing, big sis."

Andrea flicked him on the nose as he got close. "When you call me that, I always feel older."

Kris shrugged. Emma treated Andrea like a mother/sister figure and since he felt all but married to Emma, he treated Andrea like family. There was also the fact that Michonne was someone he could actually trust, both as a friend and for combat assistance. He was all squared off for training and properly leading the growing group, but Michonne, that woman had a mind for tactics. Not to mention that she was also the first to bring any of The Judgement's men down. Killing the undead was one thing. Taking a human being's life was something else altogether.

"I hope you two weren't just burning daylight." Andrea joked as Michonne moved to the back of the truck to open the metal cover to unload the things they had brought back.

"Shucks, me and Emma can't have a little break?"

Andrea started following Michonne's example but Emma pulled at her arm towards the house they all lived in together.

Andrea glanced back but Kris motioned her to go. "We got this, got to work on my guns for my lady over there."

Emma nodded and made a heart sign with her hands. Kris blushed and after noticing that both entrance guards were smirking, decided to fuck it all and returned the motion. "Now go make me a sandwich, woman." He said with too much affection to sound serious.

Andrea rolled her eyes and started down the path with the exuberant redhead. Emma was writing quickly on the note pad that she always carried around as Andrea waited patiently for her to finish her scrawling.

Once the pair was out of earshot Kris moved closer to Michonne and placed his hand on her shoulder. "She looks tired."

"Andrea's been coughing more too." The shorter woman answered as she continued unpacking the car, her apprehension only showing to those that knew her.

"We have got to find a better doctor than me, I'm barely a vet for the animals we have."

Michonne nodded. "We will."

"Yeah, now." Kris smiled lightly and picked up two of the duffle bags filled with scavenged supplies. "Shit, whoa, you guys got a big cache this time huh."

…..

-Several Months Later-

Status: Separated from Emma and Kristopher.

A repeating cough wrecked through her body, Andrea was dizzy and stifling her coughing was getting harder. How the hell did she get so sick? She was a hindrance now and it was worrying to see how much Michonne was willing to do to help her. Before the brunet could suggest a break a crash exploded in the forest on the horizon. The pair exchanged a glance and without another word Andrea started to lead them towards the thick black haze. As they walked towards the smoke billowing from the forest, Andrea tried to come up with some way to convince Michonne to travel on without her.

When they reached the burning helicopter Andrea was heaving in her breaths and just watched as Michonne tied up the mules. The two walkers had been knotted up within a house they were scavenging before getting caught by The Judgement and the mules had waited there until Michonne and Andrea had passed the house again. The roof over their rotting heads helping slow down the tissue decomposition.

The shorter woman knelt next to her blonde and placed a hand onto Andrea's back and moved it soothingly up and down the blonde's back.

"I'll go check it out." Michonne waited until Andrea's hand had a firm grip on their gun before standing up.

The pilot's body had been bisected by the blades of the helicopter; Michonne emotionlessly looked at the blood and then continued surveying the wreckage. The running motors of approaching vehicles made her start back to the foliage. There was only the two of them now and she had learnt that groups are never to be trusted.

The crowd of mercenaries and noise from the crash had attracted Walkers. Andrea tried to slow her breathing as the dead shambled into the clearing and watched as the group that arrived efficiently deal with the hungry Walkers. When the leader of the group moved to shank the dead pilot, Terry and Mike started growling loudly, something had agitated them and they were starting to attract the attention of the mercenaries in the clearing.

"Michonne, go deeper into the forest." Andrea pushed at her partner's knee while Michonne refused to verbally answer and only stared at her companion with an expression that clearly stated 'No'.

The blonde sighed and started shaking as she curled into herself in hopes to abate the nausea. Michonne looked over at Andrea's crumpled form and made a decision; she got up and swiftly decapitated the two groveling Walkers.

They weren't just important mules for luggage they also kept the dead at bay. The Walkers tended to ignore other Walkers, so if you remained quiet and in the vicinity of Terry and Mike the undead tended not to pay too much attention.

They were Michonne's past and it made Andre think that it was kind of romantic that Michonne was willing to part with the last two reminders of her life before all of this to give them a better cover.

A closing rustle behind them made Andrea force her hand up to reach for the arrows in her no longer present quiver while her other hand automatically groped for her bow.

Fuck.

…..

When Andrea awoke Michonne was sitting on the chair beside the bed. Her partner's hand lingered on her knee and the relief that filled her eyes when Andrea came to made the blonde want to open her arms and hold the other woman. That is until a nurse came in and made her fatigued body sit up.

"I need you to breathe deep." The nurse instructed as she pushed the chilled stethoscope against Andrea's naked back. "According to all the other symptoms you've been listing I would guess you've contracted a rather nasty case of pneumonia, and by the sound of your breathing, this isn't the first time or it's been lingering within you for a long period."

"I thought it was the flu." Andrea sighed.

The nurse shook her head after adjusted her facemask. "Goodness no, it may have started as an influenza but you're now having a much too difficult a time breathing."

"What can you do to help her?" Michonne wasn't ever one to talk much; it was always a wonder to Andrea that talkative and uppity Kristopher had managed to get on her quiet partner's good side. The thought of Kristopher and Emma made her heart twist.

The nurse looked over at Michonne. "Well, as long as it's not fungal we have a good stock of antibiotics available and I'm sure the Governor would be willing to help a _citizen _of our town."

Michonne frowned, that was a criteria she wasn't so sure she wanted to fill. But after taking one look at Andrea's weak smile Michonne knew she was willing to reconsider.

When Merle came in, Andrea stiffened and tried to prepare herself for whatever conversation that would come up. Michonne immediately got up from her chair and stood by the end of Andrea's bed, leaving her hand on the linen covering Andrea's legs.

Michonne watched cautiously but remained silent, her brows drawn together. As Merle approached the pair Michonne lifted her chin defiantly and straightened her arms out, her body ready to defend. The more the hick talked the more riled up he became, Andrea glanced over at Michonne who was ready to deal with the son of bitch before Andrea gritted out a convincing 'thank you'.

Andrea sighed when she watched as Michonne managed to roll her eyes without actually deigning to the motions.

When the leader of the group mentioned keys to a vehicle Andrea turned her head at Michonne to see how she was gauging the situation. Michonne blinked and Andrea agreed with the lack of trust her partner had in these strangers.

The Governor instructed the nurse to pack up a full week ration of antibiotics, the amount given wasn't nearly enough for the severity of Andrea's sickness as the nurse made clear. Apparently cars were in abundance but drugs were under lock and key. It was quite transparent that Andrea needed the medicine and the Governor knew he had the upper hand. Michonne took the supplies offered for Andrea instantly, deciding to negotiate for more meds later. Whatever the deal may be, one way or another Michonne was dead set on getting her partner the drugs.

Andrea on the other hand was guessing Michoone's train of thought and was pondering exactly what this Governor and this settlement would be dishing out.

Thankfully Michonne was coming off with a clean sheet of health.

…

As they were led to front gate, Andrea with a new facemask could feel Michonne lingering steps behind her, always protectively watching her back. It made Andrea feel safe. There was also the fact that Michonne didn't like being this close to this many people.

Their room was better than anything they've had since their community fell, the image made Andrea even more bone weary while the shorter woman behind her cautiously surveyed the room for any traps. Michonne remained mute and allowed Andrea to deal with the pleasantries. The minute The Governor walked out the room she closed the door and petulantly glared at their belongings and lack of weapons sitting on the couch.

"Staring won't bring your katana back, eat some of their food, if we're being kept here we might as well be full." Andrea commented after she coughed, noting that a pouting Michonne was a little too god damn adorable.

Michonne nodded, washed her hands quickly at their shower stall. Then picked up a peach, broke it in two and used a dulled knife from the side table to slice the fruit into thin slices before placing them on an empty plate and pushing the too delicate ceramic plate into Andrea's hands.

The brunet took a second peach and started chomping into it as she strolled around their room like a tiger in a cage, powerful, deadly and so fucking hot. Andrea blushed as she took off her mask and nibbled on the fruit. It tasted better than what she's had in months but her stomach felt unready and nervous after so many days of starvation.

After being satisfied that the place wasn't a death trap Michonne knelt by the table and took the pot from the ground and started heating some water to cook the spaghetti. Andrea got up and placed her half-finished peach slices on the shelf and moved to help prepare food for them.

Michonne glared at the blonde seated next to her and then at the peaches.

"I'm just," Andrea waved her hand dismissively at the reproving glance. "My stomach is a little weary right now."

The brunet kept staring, got up and returned with the peaches and held one right up to Andrea's lips.

Andrea laughed softly at the overly serious expression on her partner's face but was met with only a stern eyebrow raise. Michonne was always more quiet when in an environment with new people and especially if they seem hostile enough to take her weapon. In this time and age, no one should be without weapons.

"Thank you." Andrea murmured as she wrapped her lips around the fruit and then licked at the juices from Michonne's fingertips.

The corner of Michonne's lips turned up slightly as she whispered, still cautious of the guards outside their door. "We should eat… First."

"You sure have a lot of confidence to just presume that eating isn't going to be the last thing we do tonight." Andrea winked and pecked Michonne's cheek, avoiding her lips to decrease the likelihood of contaminating her companion with her sickness. When Andrea pulled back she was met with a smile that her partner reserved only for her. Even though worried, weaponless and bone tired Michonne had a way that made Andrea feel that in the end of it all, everything was going to work out. The devotion alone in her partner's eyes made Andrea melt in a way she felt was entirely too inappropriately pure for the world they were now situated in.

Michonne continued feeding the pieces of the fruit to Andrea until there was none left and the spaghetti had finished cooking, after straining the delicious smelling noodles and filling both their plates with it, the pair dug right in. Michonne's earlier attention had made Andrea slowly realize that she was starving and the spaghetti, even without any sauce, smelt so mouth wateringly good she had to constrain herself from just inhaling the contents off the whole plate.

"Carbs." Andrea moaned happily as she finished her serving and started picking at the blue berries. Michonne had already moved onto her third peach, the woman had a great appreciation for fruits and veggies, peaches especially. When the four of them had still been with the community, Andrea would always choose the cans containing peaches during the distribution of the rations that they procured and farmed but refrain from eating any of it so she could offer them to Michonne. "It's strange that they have this much fresh fruit."

Michonne kept crunching down on her peach but nodded. Once again, Andrea blushed, seeing peach juices dribbling down her woman's mouth and wanted nothing more than to lick that up as well. But they haven't kissed since what Andrea thought was a doggedly insistent cold had been hitting her with fevers. And now that it's been diagnosed as pneumonia, Andrea knew she wasn't going to chance it, no matter how much she missed her girl's scrumptious lips.

The blonde got up and started to strip out of her grimy clothes and glanced pointedly at her partner. "We should conserve water by showering together."

"Take the pills now that you've eaten."

Andrea rolled her eyes but dutifully swallowed the capsules with a swig of water.

"Now?" The blonde smiled mischievously at her companion.

"You need to rest."

Andrea frowned but heard the clear decision in her partner's voice and resigned to not getting laid tonight, but a girl had to try. "No."

Michonne grinned good naturedly back at her blonde as she thought back to their conversation all those months ago in that cabin in the snow. "No?"

"No." Andrea replied and crossed her arms. When she had to cough she had to untucked her arms to cover her mouth but petulantly refused to make eye contact with the justified but worried smile she knew was on Michonne's face.

Michonne unzipped her jeans and dropped them unceremoniously onto the floor along with the rest of her clothes. She kicked off her shoes and started to fiddle with the dials on the shower unit. Andrea followed suite but paused and decided to fold up both hers and Michonnes clothes and then draped them onto the couch. All those months of chores in The Judgement's camp had trained her to be efficient and tediously meticulous when dealing with laundry.

The brunet knew that the mindless act of folding was somewhat cathartic to her partner and saw no dire need to make her cease her actions. Just this morning she still had her two dead friends trailing along with them, who was she to judge. But still every so often Michonne tried to be a bit more careless with her laundry, hoping it'll cause Andrea to stop the ingrained habit.

Though Michonne's negligence tonight didn't appear to deter Andrea in the slightest since her blonde started opening their backpacks to pull out the linen that would require washing in the morning. After Andrea was pleased with her organization of their possesions she quickly stepped into the tepid trickling spray of water and against Michonne's waiting body.

"Mmmmmmmm." Andrea placed her hands on Michonne's hip bones and tugged, wanted to be closer than what would be considered chaste.

Michonne refused to get hauled any closer though and instead turned her body so Andrea was draped against her back. "When you get better."

"And if I don't." Andrea said almost soundlessly, this was her worst fear, to never get over this sickness and drag her partner into it as well.

Michonne spun back around and held her hands on Andrea's shoulder and rubbed reassuringly. "When."

The conviction in the brunet's voice made Andrea sniffle and the tears to start rolling down her cheeks. She had never been one to cry, all her life she was the tough one. She was the role model for her younger sister and the sharped tongue civil rights attorney that was leading her office to success. The first time she had cried it was after Amy's death. Then the great sorrow that had to find a way out of her continued overflow into her life as tears. As emotions that had never gotten the better of her during the days before the outbreak took reign and wrecked her stability. And now in this woman's arm, she was crying for an entirely different reason. She cried not only because she was tired and that the world was going to shit but because here in her partner's arms she's safe and protected and strangely enough, more loved than she had ever felt in her whole life.

…

A/N: I noticed that in the TV show, Michonne was just choosing the best possible course of action during the helicopter scene and/or they were alluding that those two zombies mattered little to her because they had done something horrible. However, I had made her more attached to Terry and Mike and so had the comic book so I thought it meant something for her to willingly take them down so quickly. She could have totally made a run for it and came back from them later, but of course she wasn't leaving Andrea's side.


	5. Five

**Title**: Moments Between Two Survivors (5/?)

**Author**: Mina Robins

**Fandom**: Walking Dead

**Pairing**: Michonne/Andrea. Because, hey, give me two women together on a screen and I'll give you femslash.

**Rating**: G, cause there's going to be a piñata party. No, really, it's a zombie apocalypse, so M.

**Summary:** Two women facing the world of the undead. How hard can it be?

…..

The blonde was looking a lot better. As much as Michonne resented these people for taking their belongings, she was grateful for the medication available for Andrea. She nudged the blonde and motioned with her head to the boy raking leaves in front of the larger complexes near the main square.

Andrea's eyes widen a bit at the obscenely normal display. No one had time to fucking rake leaves or tend lawns, time could not be wasted on mundane chores for aesthetics reasons. Not even back in The Judgement's camp did the women ever mow lawns. There was always the livestock that needed tending and clothing that were falling apart at the seams, there were the meals to cook and the laundry, the fucking endless train of laundry to be done. In those three months Andrea had to wash and clean, it's made her neurotic enough to always fold up the linen and clothing the pair owned or else she can't sit still till it's done.

This place was too serene. When Michonne glanced back over at her, Andrea nodded, it was creeping her out as well. The blonde fidgeted with the face mask as a smaller round of coughing made her falter in her step.

The perky greeter had returned after showing them the compound and informed them that they had been "formally invited to dine with The Governor".

Andrea was uncomfortable every time that title was mentioned and as she shivered unintentionally she felt Michonne's hand on her back and sighed noiselessly with relief.

It didn't matter what they were facing, they were doing it together.

…

"Hard to believe you two ladies lasted so long out there." The Governor noted as he slid the eggs onto Andrea's plate.

"Because we're women?" Andrea countered, she was normally the spokesperson for them whenever they met strangers, and her tone was sharp as her hands balled around the mask she was suggested to remove for the duration of their meal.

The Governor paused to make eye contact and finished. "Because you're alone."

"We had each other." The blonde replied, her voice softening before she could help herself. Michonne was slumped in her chair looking as ecstatic to be here as patient waiting to get their wisdom teeth yanked out of their jaw. It was oddly endearing when she got like this.

The Governor scoffed lightly. "Two against the world, long odds."

"We manage." Andrea said tightly, moving to unfold her napkin while making eye contact with Michonne. Her companion was staring rigidly at the shelf of weapons; her katana was part of the display along with various silver dishes and antique guns. Her most prized materialistic possession was being lined up with the rest of this man's rickety cabinet of trophies.

The line of conversation flowed as much as Andrea kept it going, but then they just had to bring up the Walkers having echoes of memories.

"The two you have chained up, who were they?" Milton asked, trying to bring Michonne into the conversation.

Andrea watched apprehensively, knowing that it was difficult for Michonne to even talk to her about Terry and Mike so no doubt it must be frustrating her partner to be questioned and poked at by two virtual strangers.

"The way you controlled them, used them to your benefit." Milton continued on carelessly as he had before, like an inquisitive child's curiosity towards a butterfly's drying wings after it drawls out from its chrysalis. Wanting to learn and touch, to prod and feel the gossamer appendages only to condemn the insect to a flightless and short existence. He was completely missing the anger on the African American's face and also Andrea's irritation at his invasive comments. "You did know them didn't you?"

Andrea fretted over how to direct the conversation away from Michonne, her mouth opening only for The Governor to reprimand Milton before she could. "Let them eat."

"My apologies…" The scientist answered, he dropped his eyes onto his dish as he sipped his tea.

The blonde lingered her gaze on Michonne and after seeing a slight nod to know that her partner was fine, turned to face The Governor. "So what you have here, do you expect it to hold, when a herd comes through?"

Because it has happened to Andrea and Michonne. They had chain linked fences and a trained community. Yet, when a herd of a good couple hundred walkers slammed into their community, it fell. They were prepared and well-guarded with a solid unit of people. Nonetheless, as the saying goes, of the best laid _schemes of mice and men__, _they often go awry. The memories made the mask on Andrea's face crack.

Michonne scowled, she knows there can never be enough security, it was a lesson she learnt the hard way. To keep guard and to never get lulled into the false sense of serenity, to foolishly believe that anything can hold off a herd that tramples through. There had to be contingency plans. More escape routes. More procedures drilled into their people's minds. But that hadn't been the case and they've been separated from Emma and Kris since that fateful unclouded day several months ago.

The unfiltered blaze of the midday sun had highlighted the approach of the deadly herd and as the leaders attempted to evacuate every non militia personal to safety and to designate a meeting place the hordes were already upon them. The dead trampled on top of one another in their haste to devour the living; creating a ladder of rotting flesh as they piled onto the unready fences and tumbled into their encampment. Dragging good men and women from their post and segregating the community with putrid mouths, slashing claws and their ravenous hunger.

Michonnes's eyes flashes dangerously and the heat in them only simmers down when Andrea places her hand discreetly on the other woman's knee.

"It'll hold." The Governor responds decisively.

"What's your secret?"

The Governor smiled at Andrea. "Really big walls."

Andrea laughed charmingly though it did stir up a short session of coughing into the crook of her elbow, the memories of her community forced into the far recesses of her mind. "That soldier had walls too, and we all know how that turned out." The blonde looked at both Milton and The Governor, warning in her tone.

The Governor attempts to reassure the pair but then he went on ahead and stated that this place was a _community_ and the word alone made Michonne frown and glance at Andrea who had gasped quietly, too soundlessly for The Governor to notice as he barreled on. Michonne wrapped her fingers around the hand Andrea had on her knee.

"We will reclaim civilization, only this time we won't be eating each other." The Governor has a grin in his eyes as Andrea leans away and looks to Michonne. The brunette blinks at Andrea and peers impatiently at the man across from her and over his shoulder, where her sword sits waiting.

"To civilization then." Andrea said after a pause, lifted up her cup as the other's follow suite, everyone but Michonne.

"What do you want for the rest of Andrea's medicine?"

The Governor smirks and tilts his head at Michonne, his posture and tone of an adult refusing their child of more candy. "We only give out a week's worth of rations at a time, don't want the kids dabbling in our local narcotics."

There's a pause, Milton watches apprehensively as the tension builds between Michonne and The Governor, both trying to gauge the other. Michonne wants to call bullshit on the drug level maintenance and he knows it. He also knew that the pair was at his mercy until he saw fit to let the medicine slip from between his tightly clenched fingertips.

Andrea bit her cheek, she was going to go for a more diplomatic approach to her needed medication but nonetheless appreciated Michonne's attempt.

A knock on the door causes The Governor to stand up and make an announcement to cut breakfast short.

Michonne's flares her nostrils and before Andrea could or even would stop her, the woman is up and standing to demand. "We want our weapons and we'll trade for the meds."

"Well we can make this meal to go and your weapons will be waiting for you outside the wall, though the medicine we'll have to negotiate on later, maybe you should take time to relax." The Governor nods towards Andrea and sounded like he's challenging Michonne. She glares defiantly up at the taller man. She knows what she's doing and she's been doing a damn fine job taking care of her companion, the insinuations in his eyes are unwarranted. "Get your strength back, and have a look around, who knows, you might like what you see."

Andrea turns and notes Michonne's stiff posture. Not if her girl didn't get her weapons soon.

….

"I don't trust him." Michonne states, her head down and away from the smiling people and her hands on her hips.

"Why not." Andrea asked, jokingly she wiggles her eyebrows since the facemask is back on and covering her upturned lips. "Have you trusted anybody?"

Michonne turns to her and stares into Andrea's eyes like she asked the silliest thing in the world. "Yeah." _You._

The blonde nods, pleased that she was distracting Michonne from the rather frustrating issue of the incarceration of their weapons and bodies. Michonne is steps behind her again so she turns so she's walking backwards so she can face her partner. "I know Michonne… I don't trust him either." Andrea stops and presses her hand over her chest as she starts a small round of coughing. The food, rest and most importantly the antibiotics have aided in her recovery but her lungs have always been a bit weak after the sickness that had torn into her system during the days she froze, naked and wet in the animal stalls in The Judgement's camp. "Let's go back to the room, pick up our belongings and get out of here."

Watching Andrea try to straighten out only made it clearer that there was no way they could leave without the antibiotics this place held. Here offered stability and medical care for Andrea. The crowds were making Michonne uncomfortable but she could see that Andrea was still completely socially functional. She had been very charismatic during their entire conversation with The Governor and Milton. They could, could… Could make it here.

Andrea saw the shift in emotions on her partner's face and frowned. "No, I don't like it here either."

"Andrea." Michonne pulled them into a shallow alleyway, the shadows of the encompassing buildings shading their bodies from onlookers.

"He feels off." Andrea reached out and was quickly welcomed into Michonne's arms. "Like The Bishop was off, there's something wrong with this guy as well."

Michonne squeezed the blonde's body and remained quiet. Andrea knows that drawing this kind of attention in an unfamiliar place was not smart. Not every single person in the world would agree with their relationship. Their dependency, their mutual addiction for each other's presence. Some would call it a waste that two women decided to be with one another. As if people were resources that could be squandered. But she needed the reassurance; she needed to feel her partner's body against her own. To feel a physical link of their connection.

"I don't want to stay here." In her agitation Andrea was getting more worked up and the coughing had returned ten-fold. The more she tried to stop and breathe normally the harder it got on her.

"Shhhh."

Andrea sighed and wanted to snuggle deeper into Michonne's hold and just remain there but she still has a bit of control to knows that staying entwined in her companion's arms was not a clever move, even now as they hide in the shadows some people are casting stares to their corner, some saturated with scornful judgement. Andrea reluctantly disentangles from her partner and heads towards the direction of their room again. "Let's go pack."

"Andrea, no."

"I have the medication, it's enough." The blonde blinks. "Two against the world are long odds and we've made them work."

This time Michonne is the one to reach and grasp onto Andrea's hand. "Your health is not up to chance."

The determined glint in her partner's eyes made Andrea feel far too guilty. Here she was, once again being a hindrance. But she recognizes that gaze and knows that this topic was definitely not up for discussion. "Milton shouldn't have asked about your Walkers."

Michonne doesn't even raise an eyebrow at the sudden change in conversation, knowing that Andrea has conceded to them staying in this settlement. So adopts their usual travel stance and lags five paces behind her blonde. "It wasn't any of his business."

"And it isn't mine either, though all these months together after all we've been through sometimes I still feel like I hardly know you." Andrea comments offhandedly.

Michonne pauses and when the blonde looks back she can see the hurt flickering in the other woman's eyes. Immediately Andrea regrets saying it, she knows that Michonne had been honest about a lot of things and Andrea tries never to pry because it is hard, but sometimes, sometimes she wished she knew more about the woman that she adores. "I'm sorry, it's the truth, c'mon you know everything about me and I…"

"You know enough." Michonne's gruff voice wavers with agitation, being questioned by strangers meant nothing, having Andrea question her felt like a small betrayal of trust. "More than anyone else alive at this point."

Andrea sighs and closes her eyes. She wants to hug her partner and kiss those lips she's missed so much but this was neither the place nor time to be conversing about Michonne's issues about opening up. But something made her careless and now that she was honest, she always wanted to know more. It was a physical, mental and fucking all around everything addiction she has for the entity that was Michonne.

"Those walkers were with us all winter long protecting us and you just had to take them out, that has to be hard, talk to me about it."

"That's enough." Michonne. "You've never pried, and I appreciated that, and now that's gone."

The disappointment and indignant shown by her companion made the blonde's heart throb and causes her to do the only thing that sates them both. She pulls the nonresistant body of the brunette into her arms and even though Andrea knows that they shouldn't be standing this close out in the open sidewalk. But when emotions rise and the pain are evident it's only natural for Andrea to want to balm over her transgression with physical contact. Andrea kisses the side of her shorter partner's head through her mask and just holds tight.

Their body language is too at ease with the complete lack of distance between them. Their bodies are too use to each other's presence, it's obvious that they were more than just two friends, the way they touched was with the practiced ease of lovers. But by the time Andrea takes note of this she is already looking onto the disgusted scowl on Merle's face. Great. Now the whole settlement will know. Well perhaps that was for the better since Andrea had the uncomfortable feeling that The Governor was being a tad too friendly towards her.

Michonne feels Andrea's body stiffen for a moment and it makes her turn her head and follow Andrea's gaze and into Merle's twisted facial grimace.

"Damn, fucking dykes all over the place huh?" The strung up one-handed wonder stalks up to the pair after motioning to a pair of the guards to come with him. "The cure to that little sickness my dears are a whooping serving of dick." Merle ends his sentence by grabbing his crotch which causes the guards to laugh. "The offer stands for Andrea only of course."

Michonne felt anger roll in her stomach and froth into her veins. It was obvious Merle held no fault in the woman in her arms since the offer was meant to entice her companion while scorning herself. Perhaps it was the shitty breakfast conversation, or the fact that her steel was sitting in a creeper's cupboard and **maybe** it was grinding her nerves that both The Governor and the Merle were too fond of Andrea for her liking.

So even though the blonde rolls her eyes at the lewd display and motions to leave, Michonne strides forward and punches the surprised, almost 6 feet tall guy right across his conceited mug.

Merle falls stupidly on his ass and spits out a mouthful of blood; his face boiling to a bruising splotchy spectrum of red while his fist curls into a ball. The two guards know not to get into Merle's way when he's starts frothing up spittle and blood, without another word Merle pushes up from the dusty floors and charges at Michonne. His arms are flying out with power and surprising amount of speed for a guy his height but he gets kneed under his chin by Michonne when his last punch was dodge and thus dropping him low when he follows his own momentum.

Andrea can only watch dropped jaw at the sudden fight. Michonne may have a volatile temper and would threaten and always back her words with action but normally did not engage in a fight without being extremely provoked or threatened.

Threatened over what? Merle wasn't exactly going to physically manhandle Andrea, at least not in front of everyone in the settlement. That idiotic hick couldn't just take her away.

Realization hit Andrea and made her try to intervene between the two fighters. "Michonne, stop!"

The African-American blinks at her companion and the distraction earns her a punch into the gut which winds the short woman and makes Andrea seethe and immediately bulldoze her small frame into Merle's. The force shoves Merle back but when he raises his open hand back to deliver a smack, the defiance and absolute hatred in Andrea's eyes makes him pause. Michonne darts forward during his hesitation and grips onto appendage, murder in her eyes if he so much as touched Andrea.

A crowd hasn't formed around the combatants but people are certainly milling around instead of walking to their designations. The folks gawking around them made the man snort and shove off Michonne's hold.

"God damn it, made me hit a woman." Merle spits out another glob of bloody saliva and points accusingly at Michonne then at Andrea. "Fucking carpet munchers, the both of you."

"Fuck off." Andrea retorts her tone acidic and without a hint of the caution displayed when she had first seen Merle.

Merle growls and nods to the two guys. "Back to the wall, guards are supposed to be guarding."

Michonne glares at the man's retreating back but sulks when she realizes that Andrea is furiously frowning at her.

"That was completely unnecessary!" Andrea hisses and walks away from Michonne, her temper flaring for the ridiculous fight that had just happened. For the first time in the months they've been together the blonde walked away from Michonne without looking back or even saying anything to ease her partner's worries.

Michonne tilts her head and sighs; she may have flown the handle this one time. After pushing her hands into her pockets she promptly walks behind Andrea, even though she knows the blonde wanted some time alone, she also didn't want to let her just wander away into a crowd of strangers, danger could be upon this settlement at any hour.

While Andrea wanders senselessly through the town, Michonne is tailing her and surveying the entire compound. Finally, when Andrea becomes a little too breathless and a rolling cough shudders through her body, she allows Michonne's arms to wrap around behind her to still her incessant movements.

"That was a bad decision."

Andrea sighs at the meek apology and feels Michonne press into her shoulder. Andrea never realized that Michonne was worried about their relationship; she guessed that Merle's approach made her companion feel threatened. Andrea had felt those emotions herself back when she had first seen how in awe their community's militia crew was of her partner. They had all held Michonne in such high esteem and followed her orders with trust and precision whenever the brunette actually got roped into soldier training by Kris. It didn't surprise the blonde that Michonne's cold demeanor only managed to make their guys try harder to befriend their skilled leader. The brunette was never as responsive to the militia's friendly advances but nonetheless Andrea felt the faint tinges of jealousy.

During one of their community raids, and after clearing the whole town of any lurking Walkers. Andrea made the time to detour into the local jewellers and painstakingly dig up a golden necklace from which a simple letter 'A' hung. Kris had been her wing man on this indenture and had teased her endlessly on how long it took for her to choose the perfect gift. The store had suffered some major fire damage and appeared raided, which must have happened in the early days of chaos, when foolish individuals saw it as an opportune moment to steal valuables. Andrea had laughed at the time that valuables were now food, water and shelter.

It was possessive and a tad childish of her to just presume monopoly on Michonne's affections, though her partner had smiled indulgently at Andrea when the glittering piece of jewelry was presented along with a new pair of gloves. Emma had caught wind that it was Michonne's birthday and decided to inform everyone on their settlement. The whole community held a spontaneous soiree for their leader but Andrea was glad to see that her necklace remained on her companion even when cautious teasing jibes came from their soldiers.

Andrea did appreciate that no one in their community had ever made a direct pass at either of them since their people all respected and knew of their relationship.

When Kris had first noted Andrea's possessiveness he had reassured her. "_Big sis, if our people had any six-sense or just common logic, which they do since they're still kicking at this point; they would be able to spot the yard long radius of **your** claim circling Michonne_".

But Kris didn't let up. "_Not to forget that you guys get all googly eyed at one another,"_ Krist had wiggled his fingers to go along with 'googly'._ "Michonne always gives you that look, like she's willing to fight an army of crazies for you, oh wait, she did."_

Andrea had scoffed at the idea then but she knew it was true, there were times when Michonne would catch her eye and the devotion that reflected in them would steal her breath away. And then there were the moments when Michonne would direct a longing gaze that scorched up the blonde's body, making everything happening in their community become white-noise.

Once, Kris had nudged her shoulder after he had caught her holding her partner's heated stare. _"God damn, when you guys glare all keen at one another it makes me feel kinda dirty, like I'm watching in the bedroom." _With another shove on her back Kris had dismissed her early from guard duty. _"Now make like a rabbit and get it on."_

Andrea smiled sadly at the fond memories she had of Kris. That oaf better be taking care of Emma.

The blonde leans back into Michonne's arms. Though by now Andrea would have thought they had sorted through these issues. Jealousy she got but threatened that another could take Michonne's place in her heart? It made absolutely no sense to the blonde since she was pretty sure she couldn't be any more committed to her partner if she tried. "You're not going to leave me right?"

Michonne shakes her head vehemently and it makes the anxiety gnaw a little more in Andrea's heart. It was always terrifying to see the lengths at which Michonne would go to protect her and she knew she would do the same for Michonne. But it was hard not to be concerned when the outcome of her slow demise due to pneumonia would cause Michonne so much pain. And being human Andrea can only poke at the worry creature and fuel it with more information.

"Even if I ever got really ill and it would be ridiculously hard to try to keep me alive, you still won't leave?"

"No, of course not." Michonne tightens her hold and buries her face into Andrea's clean wavy locks. This was her reliance, her familiarity, and the devotion she held for Andrea was too strong of an entanglement, one she had no will to escape.

"Then don't ever accuse me of leaving you for a shit-stain like Merle."

Michonne remains silent to the claim but Andrea could feel her partner biting her tongue to keep her denial at bay. Andrea turns to face Michonne and places a hand onto her partner's cheek. "When you punched Merle it made me feel like you lack trust in my loyalty to you."

Michonne's chocolate eyes are widened at Andrea's words and her mouth open with shock. She clearly had not seen her actions as such. She had only been so furious that every single hound in this place was prodding their noses into their bubble of a world that she had lost it. Especially since The Governor and Merle both seemed fond of the notion of Andrea's affection. Andrea had also confessed to her once that she never felt a sexual attraction to females, at least not before meeting her. Michonne herself had never sought out women or sex but Andrea was different. Michonne was attached to Andrea and could not and would not ever leave her. Andrea was also hers alone.

Oh.

When understanding sparks in Michonne's eyes, Andrea smiles and nuzzles into the crook of her companion's neck. "Yeah."

The respite and medicine was fantastic but finally expressing their commitments towards one another so explicitly had helped to solidify their relationship that much more.

Curfew was being called and as the pair walked home, their hands and hearts remained entwined.

…

A/N: Thought I would give a little more insight on Michonne's feeling in this chapter. I also have a theory that the necklace probably belonged to Michonne's daughter and she has it as a keepsake. Perhaps, I'll have a story to go with that idea another time, since here I've twisted it to fit my own femslashy ideals. As always please inform me of any grammatical or spelling mistakes. Also tenses, I seem to mix my tenses up quite a bit when it's unnecessary.


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